Image processing method and computer-readable storage medium

ABSTRACT

In a control method for a processing apparatus connected to an image reading apparatus, in a case where the processing apparatus receives a cancellation instruction while the image reading apparatus performs a reading step, the processing apparatus causes the image reading apparatus to terminate the reading step and deletes image data of a page being read, and in a case where the processing apparatus receives a cancellation instruction after the image reading apparatus has performed the reading step, the processing apparatus performs controlling processing for deleting image data that has been acquired in the last reading step and has yet to be stored.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technique for controlling an imagereading apparatus for sequentially reading images of documents placed ona document plate.

2. Description of the Related Art

As a device for digitalizing data of an image displayed on a papermedium and inputting the digitalized data into a PC or the like, animage input device such as an imaging scanner or a multifunction deviceis used. If an image is read, a user sets a document on an image readingapparatus and presses a reading start instruction button provided withthe image reading apparatus so as to start reading of the image.

Such a reading start instruction button and a reading terminationinstruction button are provided with image reading apparatuses so as toprevent a user who is using the image reading apparatus connected to anetwork from being interrupted from another user.

However, if the above-described image reading procedure is performed fora plurality of documents and a plurality of read images are stored asone file, it is impossible to transmit file storage start information,file storage continuation information, file storage terminationinformation, etc. to an application and prevent file storage beinginterrupted by another job.

If a user misplaces a document or places a page different from a desiredpage on a document plate of an image reading apparatus anddiscards/cancels a read image, the user is required to move from theimage reading apparatus to a personal computer so as to retrieve theread image and discard the retrieved image in the personal computer.This is a cumbersome and inefficient operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an image reading system allowing a userto perform image reading and image reading cancellation a plurality oftimes and store read images as one file without being interrupted onlyby exclusively operating an image reading apparatus.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided acontrol method for an image reading system provided with an imagereading apparatus and a processing apparatus for receiving image datafrom the image reading apparatus and storing the received image data asa file. The control method includes: causing the image reading apparatusto perform a reading step of reading image data of one page undercontrol of the processing apparatus and transmitting the read image datato the processing apparatus; causing the image reading apparatus toperform a start instructing step of transmitting to the processingapparatus a start instruction for starting sequential image reading;causing the image reading apparatus to perform a continuationinstructing step of transmitting to the processing apparatus acontinuation instruction for continuously reading image data of the nextpage; causing the image reading apparatus to perform a terminationinstructing step of transmitting to the processing apparatus atermination instruction for terminating the sequential image reading;causing the image reading apparatus to perform a cancellationinstructing step of transmitting to the processing apparatus acancellation instruction for canceling image reading; causing theprocessing apparatus to perform a receiving step of receiving from theimage reading apparatus the start instruction, the continuationinstruction, the termination instruction, and the cancellationinstruction; causing the processing apparatus to perform a readingcontrolling step of controlling the image reading apparatus so as tocause the image reading apparatus to perform the reading step andreceiving from the image reading apparatus the read image data; andcausing the processing apparatus to perform a storing step of storingimage data of at least one page received from the image readingapparatus in a period between reception of the start instruction andreception of the termination instruction as one file. After receivingthe start instruction in the receiving step, the processing apparatusperforms the reading controlling step. In a case where the processingapparatus receives the cancellation instruction in the receiving stepwhile causing the image reading apparatus to perform the reading step inthe reading controlling step, the image processing apparatus causes theimage reading apparatus to terminate the reading step and deletes imagedata of a page being read. In a case where after the reading step hasbeen performed in the reading controlling step, i) the processingapparatus receives the termination instruction in the receiving step,the processing apparatus terminates the reading controlling step andperforms the storing step, ii) the processing apparatus receives thecontinuation instruction in the receiving step, the processing apparatuscauses the image reading apparatus to perform the next reading step, oriii) the processing apparatus receives the cancellation instruction inthe receiving step, the processing apparatus performs controllingprocessing for deleting image data that has been acquired in the lastreading step and has yet to be stored.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image reading system according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an image reading apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship among programsperformed in an image reading system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the processes performed by anapplication, an image reading control unit, and a user instructionmonitor unit.

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating the process performed when acancellation button is pressed during image reading.

FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the process performed when imageacquisition fails during image reading.

FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating the process performed when a totalimage data amount of acquired pieces of image data does not reach animage data amount set in advance.

FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating the process performed when a totalimage data amount of acquired pieces of image data reaches an image dataamount set in advance.

FIG. 6E is a diagram illustrating the process performed when acancellation button is pressed in a user instruction monitoring state.

FIG. 6F is a diagram illustrating the process performed when acontinuation button is pressed in the user instruction monitoring state.

FIG. 6G is a diagram illustrating the process performed when a clearbutton is pressed in the user instruction monitoring state.

FIG. 6H is a diagram illustrating the process performed when an endbutton is pressed in the user instruction monitoring state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image reading system RSaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention. The imagereading system RS includes host PCs 10, 10 a, and 10 b and an imagereading apparatus R1.

The host PC 10 includes a central processing unit 11, a ROM 12, a RAM13, a disk apparatus 14, a bus 15, an I/F 16, an I/F 17, an I/F 18, andan external storage apparatus 19.

The central processing unit 11 performs processing in accordance with aprogram stored in the RAM 13. The ROM 12 stores a program for a basicinput output system (BIOS). An OS, a control program for the imagereading apparatus R1, etc. are loaded into the RAM 13. The RAM 13 has astorage area required for the operation of the above-described controlprogram and a work area.

The disk apparatus 14 stores an OS and a control program for the imagereading apparatus R1. The bus 15 connects the above-described componentsto each other, and transfers data among the above-described components.The I/F 16 is connected to an input unit I including a mouse and akeyboard.

The external storage apparatus 19 drives a disk, a CD-ROM, etc. If theabove-described program is not stored in the RAM 13 in advance and isstored in a CD-ROM or the like, the external storage apparatus 19 readsout the program from the CD-ROM and downloads the read program into theRAM 13. A single image reading apparatus R1 is connected to at least onehost PC (in this example, three host PCs).

A communication line L connects the image reading apparatus R1 to theI/F 18 included in the host PC 10, and is compliant with, for example,USB, IEEE1394, or SCSI. A communication line L2 connects the imagereading apparatus R1 to host PCs 10 a and 10 b using communication linesLa and Lb, respectively, and is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network)or WAN (Wide Area Network).

The configuration of the host PCs 10 a and 10 b is the same as that ofthe host PC 10.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image reading apparatus R1. The imagereading apparatus R1 includes an image-forming lens 22, a CCD 23 that isan example of a solid-state image pickup device, an AMP 24, an A/Dconverter 25, an image processing circuit 26, a buffer memory 27, aninterface circuit 28, a CPU 29, a light control circuit 30, a lightsource lamp 31, a motor driving circuit 32, an optical driving motor 33,a work memory 34, a gamma LUT 35, and an operation panel 40.

The AMP 24 amplifies an analog image signal output from the CCD 23 thatis a line image sensor. The A/D converter 25 converts the analog imagesignal output from the AMP 24 into a digital image signal. The imageprocessing circuit 26 performs pieces of image processing such as offsetcompensation, shading compensation, digital gain control, color balancecontrol, color masking conversion, and resolution conversion in a mainscanning direction and a sub scanning direction upon the digital imagesignal.

The buffer memory 27 includes a RAM, and temporarily stores image data.The interface circuit 28 is used to receive/output a command and animage from/to a host PC connected thereto.

The CPU 29 is a controller for controlling the image reading apparatusR1 in accordance with a command transmitted from a host PC connectedthereto, and controls the motor driving circuit 32, the light controlcircuit 30, the image processing circuit 26, etc.

The light control circuit 30 drives and turns on the light source lamp31. The light source lamp 31 illuminates a document D1. Light that isreflected from the document D1 in accordance with the surface density ofthe document D1 is formed on a line image sensor such as the CCD 23,which is an example of a solid-state image pickup device, as an imagevia the image-forming lens 22.

The motor driving circuit 32 drives the optical drive motor 33 such as astepper motor, and outputs an excitation signal to the optical drivemotor 33 on the basis of a control signal transmitted from the CPU 29that is a system control unit for the image reading apparatus R1.

The work memory 34 is used as a temporary work memory used for imageprocessing performed by the image processing circuit 26. Furthermore,the work memory 34 is used for the correction of RGB interlinear offsetsof image signals obtained from RGB line sensors disposed in parallelwith each other at predetermined offset intervals on the CCD 23 such asa line image sensor. Still furthermore, the work memory 34 temporarilystores various pieces of data including shading correction data.

The gamma LUT 35 stores a density gamma conversion LUT and performsgamma correction.

The CPU 29 detects pressing of a switch disposed on the operation panel40, and notifies a host PC connected thereto of the fact that the switchhas been pressed via an interface.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation panel 40. The operationpanel 40 includes an LCD 41 for displaying scanning information, etc.,an operation button 42, an OK button 43, a cancellation button 44, aclear button 45, a start button 46, a continuation button 47, and an endbutton 48.

The LCD 41 displays scanning setting items including a color mode, aresolution, and a size. If the OK button 43 is pressed after one of thesetting items has been selected using the operation button 42, thesetting of scanning, for example, a color mode, a resolution, or a sizecan be performed. If the cancellation button 44, the clear button 45,the start button 46, the continuation button 47, and the end button 48are pressed, corresponding instruction signals are transmitted to a hostPC connected to the operation panel 40.

The start button 46 is an example of a reading start instruction unitfor transmitting an image reading start instruction. The continuationbutton 47 is an example of a reading continuation instruction unit fortransmitting an image reading continuation instruction. The end button48 is an example of a reading termination instruction unit fortransmitting an image reading termination instruction. The cancellationbutton 44 is an example of a reading cancellation instruction unit fortransmitting an image reading cancellation instruction.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship among programsperformed in the image reading system RS. The host PC 10 includes an OS51, a device driver 52, an application 55, and the I/F 18. The devicedriver 52 includes an image reading control unit 53 and a userinstruction monitor unit 54. Each program is installed in the diskapparatus 14 included in the host PC 10. If a user or another programcalls a program, the called program is loaded into the RAM 13 and isthen executed.

If the host PC 10 is turned on, the OS 51 is activated. The userinstruction monitor unit 54 for monitoring ON/OFF of a user operationbutton is called when the OS 51 is activated and is resident in the RAM13. Furthermore, the user instruction monitor unit 54 transmits signalsto the image reading apparatus R1 at regular intervals, and determineswhich of the clear button 45, the start button 46, the continuationbutton 47, and the end button 48 has been pressed by checking a responsesignal transmitted from the image reading apparatus R1.

The application 55 is called when the pressing of the start button 46 isdetected by the user instruction monitor unit 54. Furthermore, theapplication 55 calls the image reading control unit 53, reads an imagein accordance with a condition set by a user, and performs imageprocessing set in advance.

The configuration of the host PCs 10 a and 10 b included in the imagereading system RS is the same as that of the host PC 10.

The image reading control unit 53 is an example of an image readingcontrol unit for controlling an image reading apparatus so as to causethe image reading apparatus to read an image.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processes performed by theapplication 55, the image reading control unit 53, and the userinstruction monitor unit 54. The application 55 transmits a command tothe image reading apparatus R1 and receives a result from the imagereading apparatus R1 via the image reading control unit 53. The imagereading control unit 53 is controlled by the application 55, andfunctions as a communication interface between the application 55 andthe image reading apparatus R1. The processes performed by the imagereading control unit 53 and the application 55 are illustrated on theleft side of a dotted line in FIG. 5, and the process performed by theuser instruction monitor unit 54 is illustrated on the right side of thedotted line in FIG. 5.

As described previously, the user instruction monitor unit 54 is calledwhen the OS 51 is activated and is resident in the RAM 13 (step S1) soas to periodically determine whether a start button of the image readingapparatus R1 has been pressed. The user instruction monitor unit 54repeats the above-described processing until an instruction istransmitted thereto (step S2). A user sets a desired image transmissiondestination host PC, a desired resolution, a desired color mode, adesired image size, etc. and then presses the start button 46. If theuser instruction monitor unit 54 determines that the start button 46 hasbeen pressed, it adds an argument representing the user instructionmonitor unit 54 to a call to be transmitted to the application 55, andtransmits the call to the application 55 (step S3).

If the application 55 recognizes that it has been called by the userinstruction monitor unit 54, it calls the image reading control unit 53so as to perform initialization processing (step S4). The application 55checks the argument added by the user instruction monitor unit 54 andperforms an image reading setting on the basis of the argument (stepS5). The application 55 acquires data blocks each having a data amountset in advance into which data of a single document is divided (stepS6).

The user instruction monitor unit 54 determines whether the cancellationbutton 44 has been pressed by the user each time one of these datablocks is acquired (step S7). If the user instruction monitor unit 54determines that the cancellation button 44 has been pressed, it deletesthe image data of the document being acquired (step S8), cancels theimage acquisition of the current document, and is in a user instructionmonitoring state so as to determine whether the next document to be readis present (steps S10, S12, S13, and S15). If the user instructionmonitor unit 54 cannot determine that the cancellation button 44 hasbeen pressed, it is determined whether the total image data amount ofacquired data blocks reaches a desired image data amount so as todetermine whether the acquisition of all of the data blockscorresponding to the single document has been completed (step S9). Ifthe total image data amount of the acquired data blocks does not reachthe desired image data amount of the single document, the application 55determines that the acquisition of all of the data blocks has not beencompleted and acquires the next data block (step S6). If the total imagedata amount of the acquired data blocks reaches the desired image dataamount of the single document, it is determined that the acquisition ofall of the data blocks has been completed and the user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state so as todetermine whether the next document to be read is present (steps S10,S12, S13, and S15).

If images are acquired from a document feeding unit such as an automaticdocument feeder (ADF) on which a plurality of documents can be set at atime, it is determined that the acquisition of all of pieces of imagedata has been completed when all of these set documents are acquired.

In the user instruction monitoring state (steps S10, S12, S13, and S15),the user instruction monitor unit 54 periodically determines whether thecancellation button 44, the continuation button 47, the clear button 45,and the end button 48 have been pressed until it determines that any oneof these buttons has been pressed.

If the user instruction monitor unit 54 determines that the cancellationbutton 44 has been pressed (step S10), the last acquired image data ofone page of the document is deleted (step S11) and the user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state again (stepsS10, S12, S13, and S15). If the user instruction monitor unit 54determines that the continuation button 47 has been pressed (step S12),the image reading setting is performed again (step S5) and imageacquisition is performed (step S6). If the user instruction monitor unit54 determines that the clear button 45 has been pressed (step S13), allof acquired pieces of image data are deleted (step S14) and terminationprocessing is performed (step S16). If the user instruction monitor unit54 determines that the end button 48 has been pressed, acquired piecesof image data of a plurality of pages are stored as one file (step S17).

An image storage unit stores images received in a period between step S2in which the start instruction unit transmits a start instruction andstep S15 in which the termination instruction unit transmits atermination instruction as one file. Subsequently, the process returnsto step S2 in which the start button 46 is monitored.

In step S5, the image reading control unit 53 transmits informationabout the image reading setting and a lock command for locking the imagereading apparatus R1 to the image reading apparatus R1. Upon receivingthe lock command, the image reading apparatus R1 is in an exclusionstate in which the image reading apparatus R1 receives a command onlyfrom the image reading control unit 53 that has transmitted the lockcommand thereto. If a command is transmitted to the image readingapparatus R1 from the image reading control unit 53 included in anotherhost PC, the image reading apparatus R1 transmits a busy error to theimage reading control unit 53 in response to the command.

In step S16, the image reading control unit 53 transmits a terminationcommand and an image reading apparatus unlock command to the imagereading apparatus R1. Upon receiving the unlock command, the imagereading apparatus R1 cancels the exclusion state so as to receive acommand from the image reading control unit 53 included in each of allhost PCs connected thereto.

FIG. 6A illustrates details of the process performed when the startbutton 46 of the image reading apparatus R1 is pressed (step S2), imagereading is started, and the cancellation button 44 is pressed duringimage reading (step S7).

When the user instruction monitor unit 54 determines whether the startbutton 46 has been pressed (step S21), a user selects one of host PCsand presses the start button 46 of the image reading apparatus R1. Theuser instruction monitor unit 54 installed in the selected host PCdetects the pressing of the start button 46 (step S22). The userinstruction monitor unit 54 activates the application 55 and transmits anotification that the start button 46 has been pressed to theapplication 55 (step S23).

The application 55 activates the image reading control unit 53 (stepS24). The activated image reading control unit 53 communicates with theimage reading apparatus R1 so as to perform initialization processing(step S25). If the initialization processing is successfully performed,the image reading apparatus R1 transmits a notification that theinitialization processing has been successfully performed to the imagereading control unit 53 (step S26). The image reading control unit 53transmits a notification that it has been successfully activated to theapplication 55 (step S27).

Subsequently, the application 55 transmits information about imagereading settings to the image reading control unit 53 (step S28). Theimage reading control unit 53 transmits the information about the imagereading settings to the image reading apparatus R1 (step S29). The imagereading apparatus R1 transmits a notification that the image readingsettings have been correctly completed to the image reading control unit53 (step S30). The image reading control unit 53 transmits anotification that the image reading settings have been successfullyperformed to the application 55 (step S31). The image reading settingsinclude the settings of a reading size, a resolution, a color,sharpness, etc.

Subsequently, the application 55 transmits an image acquisition commandto the image reading control unit 53 (step S32). The image readingcontrol unit 53 transmits the image acquisition command to the imagereading apparatus R1 (step S33). At that time, if the user presses thecancellation button 44, the user instruction monitor unit 54 detects thepressing of the cancellation button 44 (step S34) and transmits anotification that the cancellation button 44 has been pressed to theapplication 55 (step S35). The application 55 deletes image data beingacquired and transmits an instruction for causing the user instructionmonitor unit 54 to determine whether the next page of the document ispresent to the user instruction monitor unit 54 (step S36). The userinstruction monitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state(step S37) and periodically causes the image reading apparatus R1 todetermine whether the cancellation button 44, the continuation button47, the clear button 45, and the end button 48 have been pressed.

FIG. 6B illustrates the process performed when the start button 46 ispressed, image acquisition is started, and the image acquisition isfailed in the middle of the image acquisition. The process illustratedin FIG. 6B is performed after the process from step S21 to step S33 inFIG. 6A.

If the image reading apparatus R1 fails to perform image acquisition dueto an error, for example, the disconnection between the image readingapparatus R1 and a host PC, it transmits a notification that the imageacquisition has failed to the image reading control unit 53 (step S41).The image reading control unit 53 transmits the notification that theimage acquisition has failed to the application 55 (step S42). Theapplication 55 deletes image data being acquired and transmits atermination command to the image reading control unit 53 (step S43).

The image reading control unit 53 communicates with the image readingapparatus R1 so as to perform termination processing (step S44). Theimage reading apparatus R1 transmits a notification that the terminationprocessing has been successfully completed to the image reading controlunit 53 (step S45). The image reading control unit 53 transmits anotification that the termination processing has been successfullycompleted to the application 55 (step S46). The application 55 storespieces of image data of a plurality of pages acquitted in a periodbetween step S23 in which an activation command is transmitted and stepS46 in which a termination success notification is transmitted as onefile.

FIG. 6C illustrates the process performed when the start button 46 ofthe image reading apparatus R1 is pressed, image acquisition is started,and the total image data amount of acquired pieces of image data doesnot reach an image data amount set in advance. The process illustratedin FIG. 6C is performed after the process from step S21 to step S33 inFIG. 6A.

If the image reading apparatus R1 successfully performs imageacquisition, it transmits a notification that the image acquisition hasbeen successfully performed to the image reading control unit 53 (stepS51). The image reading control unit 53 compares a total image dataamount of pieces of image data acquired after image reading has beenstarted with an image data amount set in image reading settingprocessing. If the total image data amount does not reach the image dataamount set in advance, the image reading control unit 53 transmits imagedata and an image acquisition incompletion notification to theapplication 55 (step S52). After the application 55 has received theimage acquisition incompletion notification, the process returns to stepS32 in which the application 55 transmits an image acquisition commandto the image reading control unit 53 so as to acquire image data. Theabove-described processing is repeated until all of pieces of image dataare acquired.

FIG. 6D illustrates the process performed when the start button 46 ofthe image reading apparatus R1 is pressed, image acquisition is started,and a total image data amount of acquired pieces of image data reachesan image data amount set in advance. The process illustrated in FIG. 6Dis performed after the process from step S21 to step S33 in FIG. 6A.

The image reading control unit 53 receives image data and a notificationthat image acquisition has been successfully performed from the imagereading apparatus R1 and compares a total image data amount of pieces ofimage data acquired after image reading has been started with a imagedata amount set in the image reading setting processing. If the totalimage data amount reaches the image data amount set in the image readingsetting processing, the image reading control unit 53 transmits imagedata and an image acquisition completion notification to the application55 (step S61). The application 55 determines whether the next page of adocument is present and transmits a result of the determination to theuser instruction monitor unit 54 (step S36). The user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state (step S37),and periodically causes the image reading apparatus R1 to determinewhether the cancellation button 44, the continuation button 47, theclear button 45, and the end button 48 have been pressed.

FIG. 6E illustrates the process performed when the user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state and a userpresses the cancellation button 44 of the image reading apparatus R1(step S10).

The user instruction monitor unit 54 is in the user instructionmonitoring state (step S37) and periodically causes the image readingapparatus R1 to determine whether the cancellation button 44, thecontinuation button 47, the clear button 45, and the end button 48 havebeen pressed. If a user presses the cancellation button 44 of the imagereading apparatus R1, the user instruction monitor unit 54 detects thepressing of the cancellation button 44 (step S71). The user instructionmonitor unit 54 transmits a notification that the cancellation button 44has been pressed to the application 55 (step S72). The application 55deletes the last acquired image data of one page of a document andtransmits an instruction for determining whether the next page of thedocument is present to the user instruction monitor unit 54 (step S36).The user instruction monitor unit 54 is in the user instructionmonitoring state (step S37) and periodically causes the image readingapparatus R1 to determine whether the cancellation button 44, thecontinuation button 47, the clear button 45, and the end button 48 havebeen pressed.

FIG. 6F illustrates the process performed when the user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state and a userpresses the continuation button 47 of the image reading apparatus R1.

If the user instruction monitor unit 54 is in the user instructionmonitoring state (step S37) and periodically causes the image readingapparatus R1 to determine whether the cancellation button 44, thecontinuation button 47, the clear button 45, and the end button 48 havebeen pressed. If a user presses the continuation button 47 of the imagereading apparatus R1, the user instruction monitor unit 54 detects thepressing of the continuation button 47 (step S81).

The user instruction monitor unit 54 transmits a notification that thecontinuation button 47 has been pressed to the application 55 (stepS82). The application 55 transmits information about image readingsettings to the image reading control unit 53 again (step S28) andperforms image acquisition (step S32).

FIG. 6G illustrates the process performed when the user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state and a userpresses the clear button 45 of the image reading apparatus R1.

The user instruction monitor unit 54 is in the user instructionmonitoring state (step S37) and periodically causes the image readingapparatus R1 to determine whether the cancellation button 44, thecontinuation button 47, the clear button 45, and the end button 48 havebeen pressed. If a user presses the clear button 45 of the image readingapparatus R1, the user instruction monitor unit 54 detects the pressingof the clear button 45 (step S91).

The user instruction monitor unit 54 transmits a notification that theclear button 45 has been pressed to the application 55 (step S92). Theapplication 55 deletes all of pieces of image data acquired in a periodbetween step S23 in which an activation command is transmitted and stepS92 in which a notification that the clear button 45 has been pressed istransmitted, and transmits a termination command to the image readingcontrol unit 53 (step S43). The image reading control unit 53communicates with the image reading apparatus R1 so as to performtermination processing (step S44).

The image reading apparatus R1 transmits a notification that thetermination processing has been successfully performed to the imagereading control unit 53 (step S45). The image reading control unit 53transmits a notification that the termination processing has beensuccessfully performed to the application 55 (step S46).

FIG. 6H illustrates the process performed when the user instructionmonitor unit 54 is in the user instruction monitoring state and a userpresses the end button 48 of the image reading apparatus R1.

The user instruction monitor unit 54 is in the user instructionmonitoring state (step S37) and periodically causes the image readingapparatus R1 to determine whether cancellation button 44, thecontinuation button 47, the clear button 45, and the end button 48 havebeen pressed.

If a user presses the end button 48 of the image reading apparatus R1(step S101), the user instruction monitor unit 54 detects the pressingof the end button 48. The user instruction monitor unit 54 transmits anotification that the end button 48 has been pressed to the application55 (step S102). The application 55 transmits a termination command tothe image reading control unit 53 (step S43). The image reading controlunit 53 communicates with the image reading apparatus R1 so as toperform termination processing (step S44). The image reading apparatusR1 transmits a notification that the termination processing has beensuccessfully performed to the image reading control unit 53 (step S45).The image reading control unit 53 transmits a notification that thetermination processing has been successfully performed to theapplication 55 (step S46). The application 55 stores pieces of imagedata of a plurality of pages acquired in a period between step S23 inwhich an activation command is transmitted and step S46 in which anotification that the termination processing has been successfullyperformed is transmitted as one file.

The image reading apparatus R1 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention may be applied to a scanner having only an image readingfunction or a multifunction device in which a printer, a facsimile, anda scanner are integrated. If the image reading apparatus R1 is appliedto a multifunction device, commands other than image reading commands,for example, a print command and a fax command transmitted from a hostPC or another host PC, may be rejected while the above-describedexclusion control processing is performed.

If a user specifies the number of sheets of a document to be read forthe image reading apparatus R1, the first embodiment can be applied.

In order to achieve the above-described objects, a computer-readablestorage medium storing program code of software achieving functions ofthe above-described embodiments may be supplied to a system or anapparatus and a computer (or a CPU or MPU) included in the system orapparatus may read the program code from the computer-readable storagemedium and execute the read program code. In this case, the program codeitself read from the computer-readable storage medium achieves thefunctions of the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, the presentinvention includes the computer-readable storage medium storing theprogram code.

According to the above-described embodiments, it is possible to store aplurality of read images in a personal computer as one file only byoperating an instruction unit provided with an image reading apparatusand scanning a desired number of sheets of a document. During storingprocessing, a user can exclusively use the image reading apparatus andprevent the occurrence of an interrupt of another job. Even if a usersets a document different from a desired document, the user can deletefalsely read image data only by operating the instruction unit providedwith the image reading apparatus.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2008-118822 filed Apr. 30, 2008, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

1. A control method for an image reading system provided with an imagereading apparatus and a processing apparatus for receiving image datafrom the image reading apparatus and storing the received image data asa file, comprising: causing the image reading apparatus to perform areading step of reading image data of one page document placed on adocument plate under control of the processing apparatus andtransmitting the read image data to the processing apparatus; causingthe image reading apparatus to perform a start instructing step oftransmitting to the processing apparatus a start instruction forstarting sequential image reading; causing the image reading apparatusto perform a continuation instructing step of transmitting to theprocessing apparatus a continuation instruction for continuously readingimage data of the next page; causing the image reading apparatus toperform a termination instructing step of transmitting to the processingapparatus a termination instruction for terminating the sequential imagereading; causing the image reading apparatus to perform a cancellationinstructing step of transmitting to the processing apparatus acancellation instruction for canceling image reading; causing theprocessing apparatus to perform a receiving step of receiving from theimage reading apparatus the start instruction, the continuationinstruction, the termination instruction, and the cancellationinstruction; causing the processing apparatus to perform a readingcontrolling step of controlling the image reading apparatus so as tocause the image reading apparatus to perform the reading step andreceiving from the image reading apparatus the read image data; andcausing the processing apparatus to perform a storing step of storingimage data of at least one page received from the image readingapparatus in a period between reception of the start instruction andreception of the termination instruction as one file, and wherein, afterreceiving the start instruction in the receiving step, the processingapparatus performs the reading controlling step, wherein, in a casewhere the processing apparatus receives the cancellation instruction inthe receiving step while causing the image reading apparatus to performthe reading step in the reading controlling step, the image processingapparatus causes the image reading apparatus to terminate the readingstep and deletes image data of a page being read, and wherein, after thereading step has been performed in the reading controlling step, i) in acase where the processing apparatus receives the termination instructionin the receiving step, the processing apparatus terminates the readingcontrolling step and performs the storing step, ii) in a case where theprocessing apparatus receives the continuation instruction in thereceiving step, the processing apparatus causes the image readingapparatus to perform the next reading step, or iii) in a case where theprocessing apparatus receives the cancellation instruction in thereceiving step, the processing apparatus performs controlling processingfor deleting image data that has been acquired in the last reading stepand has yet to be stored.
 2. The control method according to claim 1,further comprising causing the image reading apparatus to transmit tothe processing apparatus a delete instruction for deleting all of piecesof image data that have yet to be stored, and wherein, upon receivingthe delete instruction from the image reading apparatus, the processingapparatus deletes all of pieces of image data that have yet to be storedin the storing step and terminates the reading controlling step.
 3. Thecontrol method according to claim 1, wherein the processing apparatusperiodically monitors a state of the image reading apparatus in thereceiving step.
 4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein theprocessing apparatus continues the reading controlling step in a periodbetween reception of the start instruction and reception of thetermination instruction, and the image reading apparatus is out ofcontrol of another processing apparatus different from the processingapparatus in which the reading controlling step is being continued.
 5. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executed in aprocessing apparatus connected to an image reading apparatus includingan image reading unit, a start instruction unit, a continuationinstruction unit, a termination instruction unit, and a cancellationinstruction unit, the program readable by the processing apparatuscomprising: a receiving step of receiving a start instruction, acontinuation instruction, a termination instruction, and a cancellationinstruction from the start instruction unit, the continuationinstruction unit, the termination instruction unit, and the cancellationinstruction unit, respectively, which are included in the image readingapparatus; a reading controlling step of controlling the image readingapparatus so as to cause the image reading unit to perform image readingof a document placed on a document plate and receiving read image datafrom the image reading apparatus; and a storing step of storing imagedata of at least one page received from the image reading apparatus in aperiod between reception of the start instruction and reception of thetermination instruction as one file, and wherein, after the startinstruction has been received in the receiving step, the readingcontrolling step is performed, wherein, in a case where the cancellationinstruction is received in the receiving step while reading of an imageof one page is performed in the reading controlling step, the reading ofan image of one page is terminated and data of the image being read isdeleted, and wherein, after the reading of an image of one page has beenperformed in the reading controlling step, i) in a case where thetermination instruction is received in the receiving step, the readingcontrolling step is terminated and the storing step is performed, ii) ina case where the continuation instruction is received in the receivingstep, reading of the next image is performed, or iii) in a case wherethe cancellation instruction is received in the receiving step,controlling processing for deleting the last image data of a page thathas been read and has yet to be stored is performed.